


A Rubicon Hat

by DragonWolfChimera



Series: The Misadventures of a Two-Sided Coin [2]
Category: Guild Wars Series (Video Games)
Genre: Depression? IDK emotions in general that have been shoved down deeply, Don't worry she doesn't fully get it either, F IS FOR FRIENDS WHO DO STUFF TOGETHER, F/M, If you don't fully understand Kimera's reasons, Light Angst, RIP Tybalt and Trahearne, Seriously don't question the Commander's fashion sense, Who also question your fashion sense, sad salad is sad, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 16:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15585729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonWolfChimera/pseuds/DragonWolfChimera
Summary: The Commander has always had a stupid hat and Taimi wants to know why.





	A Rubicon Hat

**Author's Note:**

> Seruna said to write drabble now here I am lol

Taimi wondered if the Commander knew just how much she stood out because of it. Sure the short, blue and purple sylvari was eye-catching without her normal rusted axe covered, green leather armor but for whatever reason that wasn't what normally ensnared the attention of your average passerby. 

Of all things, it was that stupid, burned, and beat to shit hat of hers. 

Taimi shook her head then stared as the leader of Dragon's Watch started picking at something stuck between Aurene's scales. Every so often, Kimera would have to lift the dark brown brim of the floppy hat away from her line of sight so she could actually see what she was doing. The green scarf that held it on her head while riding her griffin was far too thick for their currently incinerating climate. All in all, a completely useless fashion statement. 

"Is there a reason you're squinting at me or did you get sand in your eyes?" Came the slightly humored voice of the sylvari in question. 

The progeny blinked a few times before realizing just how long she had been staring and blushed. The Commander had turned away from her scaly ward and was watching the little genius with a small smile. Kimera tilted her head, "What's up, Taimi?". The asura hesitated as she pushed down her embarrassment, "Nothing, just curious about why you still have that hat." 

"What's wrong with my hat?" 

"It's so...." Taimi mentally scrambled for the right adjective, "...Pointless..?" 

Kimera looked taken aback at that and blinked few times before responding, "Pointless? How so?" 

Taimi stood from where she had settled on the ground next to a powered down Scruffy, "Just... It gets in your eyes all the time, and it looks so hot under there it's a wonder your brains haven't been fried yet." The sylvari shrugged, "It's not so bad, and it only gets in my eyes if I’m looking down at an angle at something." 

"But why do you still have it? I've never seen you without it. Like, ever..." 

The Commander sat back on her heels with a drawn out of breath, her eyes to the darkening sky, as if she was remembering something. "...I'll admit, I've had it a long time... It's been through-" a pause with another long breath, "-two dragons, Scarlet, Lazarus, Balthazar, Joko, and what I'm guessing was supposed to be the entrance to the afterlife? Yes, that sounds about right." 

"So it's a memento of all of your adventures?" 

"Not exactly." 

Taimi cocked her head, one ear perked slightly, "Then what is it?" 

Kimera looked at the sandy ground sadly, then reached for her backpack which lay nearby Aurene's tail. She rummaged around in there for a few seconds before pulling out two items; a wax sealed bottle of hard apple cider; and a worn cogwheel spur that looked charr made. She sat her legs crisscross and lay the bottle in the gap they created. Swiping her thumb across the cog in her palm, the Commander leaned back against Aurene's belly and then looked back up at Taimi, who had sat back down and was watching her quietly. 

"You're right about it being a memento, but it’s not of all my adventures." Kimera shook her head, "It reminds me of my days when I was still really a no body, a time when I was still approachable to those who usually wouldn't try." She lowered her gaze back to the cog spur, "A time when everything was simpler, and I could have had a chance to be normal..." 

Taimi stared, "But you've done so many great things! I don't think anyone else could have stared down Balthazar or Joko and basically laughed in their faces! I definitely doubt anyone but you could come back from the dead." 

"But at what cost?" 

"Okay, I know Trahearne would be proud of you..." 

"That's not what I mean." 

"Then what do you mean?" 

With a sigh, the sylvari reached up and pulled the hat forwards off her head, taking the scarf with it. She set it in her lap on top of the alcohol and then leaned towards Taimi, holding the cogwheel out for the asura to take. Taimi did, and turned it over in her hands. 

The cogwheel had once been zinc-nickel plated to protect the low carbon steel beneath from rusting. While some remained between the cog's teeth, the rest had been worn away from the flat surfaces. The steel had rusted in a pattern that looked like the thumb pad of a charr. She turned it over, the letters TL had been deeply stamped into the center causing the surrounding metal to rumple up in a large burr that had been smoothed by tough hands and time. 

"TL?" Taimi asked, raising an eyebrow at the Commander. 

Kimera closed her eyes, "Tybalt Leftpaw... Engineer and Order of Whispers Lightbringer." 

"Who was he?" 

The sylvari didn’t answer, instead she reached under her hat for the bottle and studied the label. 

"...Commander?" Taimi asked, afraid she had crossed over some invisible line. 

But Kimera just sighed and looked back up at the sky again, "I'm trying to decide how to answer this without you laughing." 

"I won't laugh! I'm not that mean!" 

The Commander shot her a look that screamed, _yes you can be_ but she remained silent for another moment, going back to looking at the sky. 

Taimi looked at the sky as well, trying to figure out what the sylvari was looking at. When she saw nothing but stars, she pulled her gaze back down to find the Commander watching her.

"He was my mentor- no, he was more than that, he was my best friend and partner. Trahearne was dear to me, yes, but his death was one I could have done nothing about. Tybalt's death... I could have prevented- I could have traded places with him and he would have survived to live another day. I wouldn't-" Kimera stopped, and looked at the ground, "I wouldn't have had to..." She closed her eyes. 

"You wouldn't what...?" the asura prompted, but the commander shook her head. 

"It's not important Taimi, just my mind saying things it shouldn’t."


End file.
